New service helps small businesses, writers with bad checks

Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson is giving small businesses assistance for collecting on bad checks. In the past, if a small business owner received a bounced check, that owner would go through a process of getting a certified letter and getting it to the person. Now, Wilson says she’s making things a little easier.

“Now, you can go to my website, download a form, send us the check, we do all of that. If we collect on it, you get that restitution, plus a fee for your trouble. If we don’t collect on it, we actually go through the process of getting a warrant for you, and if the person doesn’t plea guilty, we try the case,” says Wilson.

In the past, if the “bad check” writer wanted to go to trial, they would have to try the case themselves. So, Wilson says they’re not just helping the business owners.

“So, it should really help small businesses in particular who get hurt by these things, collect. And, for the bad check writer, it gives them an opportunity not to have a warrant out against them, and not to get a record,” says Wilson.

In some cases, Wilson says, a bad check writer may not write the check intentionally. She says that’s the beauty of this new system.

“Not every check has to come to us, it’s totally up to the merchant. If the merchant has a relationship with someone who’s a great customer, who messes up, or who’s having a hard time, and a check bounces, they can work it out, they don’t have to use our services. But, if they have somebody who is taking advantage of them, or who’s ripping them off, they can send it to us and we can start the process of holding that person responsible,” says Wilson.